Crucial X6 4TB Portable SSD Review

By Nathan Kirsch

Crucial X6 Goes NVMe For 4TB Model

Last year we did a review on the Crucial X6 Portable SSD series that was SATA-based and was designed to be a cost conscious storage solution. Crucial recently added two new capacities to the series to help satisfy the storage needs at more price points. The Crucial X6 is currently available in 500GB, 1TB, 2TB, and 4TB models.

The smaller three capacities use the ASMedia ASM235CM SATA III bridge chip and the USB 3.1 Gen 2 interface for speeds of up to 540 MB/s. Crucial changed things up on the X6 4TB drive as it uses the Phison PS2251-17 U17 USB 3.2 Gen 2×1 controller. This DRAMless NVMe controller is capable of up to 800 MB/s!

From what we gather all Crucial X6 drives ship with 96L Micron 3D QLC NAND Flash. Crucial only states that their drives ship with Micron 3D NAND in the official specifications, so that might change at some point. The take home message here is that not all Crucial X6 drives use the same technology inside and hopefully we’ve been able to explain that to you.

Crucial X6 Promo Picture

Crucial X6 Pricing At Amazon

  • 500GB – $69.95 ($0.14 per GB) with free shipping (buy now)
  • 1TB – $124.75 ($0.12 per GB) with free shipping (buy now)
  • 2TB – $189.95 ($0.09 per GB) with free shipping (buy now)
  • 4TB – $489.95 ($0.12 per GB) with free shipping (buy now)

Our friends over at Micron sent over the brand new 4TB version of the Crucial X6 Portable SSD to Legit Reviews. The X6 Portable SSD 4TB model is sold under part number CT4000X6SSD9 for $489.95.

This is our first time trying out the Phison U17 USB 3.2 Gen 2×1 controller and we wanted to see how it performs. Most review sites these days barely touch on performance let alone run in-depth tests and dive into the actual components used inside. Hopefully our community enjoys this level of detail and find that it helps them make the right purchasing decision.

Crucial X6 4TB NVMe Portable SSD

The 4TB Crucial X6 Portable Drive comes in the same retail packaging as the other models. Inside the box you’ll find a USB Type-C to Type-C cable, quick start guide and of course the drive itself.

No USB Type-C to Type-A cable or adapter is included with the Crucial X6. This was done on purpose to help keep price down. The USB-A adapter is $9.95 with free shipping (buy now) on Amazon.

Crucial X6 4TB Portable SSD

The Crucial X6 2TB portable SSD measures 69mm x 64mm x 11mm and our 4TB samples tipped the scaled at 43 Grams without the cable. The size and general feel of the drive is excellent. It has no sharp corners thanks to the tapered ends and the matte finish doesn’t attract fingerprints as bad as other housings.

The enclosure is entirely plastic, but it seems pretty stout. Crucial has the X6 listed as being drop-proof and capable of handling drops of up to 6.5ft (1.98m) on a carpeted floor. There is no IP (Ingress Protection) dust or water rating on the Crucial X6 series. On the back of the enclosure it shows the model name, capacity, place of manufacturer and the usual regulatory markings.

Crucial X6 4TB USB Type-C Port

The USB 3.1 Gen 2 Type C connector is located on the end of the drive and this model has no LED activity/power light. All X6 drives are fully backward compatible with USB 3.2 Gen-1/USB 3.1 Gen-1/USB 3.0 (5Gb/s) ports, so it will work on pretty much any device you own.

Let’s move along and see how this drive actually performs!